Never again
by valentine.joseph
Summary: The aftermath of season 6 finale. Rick is feeling defeated and Michonne has decided to tell him about the most painful event in her life to get rile him up
Chapter 1

Michonne was aghast as she stared at Daryl's lifeless and bloodied body. His head had been bashed beyond recognition by the man named Negan. He was smiling staring at the people that had become her family, telling with his gaze, in no uncertain way that they were at his mercy. Holding the barb wired bat that had turned Daryl's head into mush, he nodded his head looking at each and everyone of them. "Now you work for me. I will come in a few days to collect what you owe me. Don't fuck with me, you motherfucking sons of bitches!" He gestured to his crew with his head and said "Let's fucking go, I need to go fuck one of my wives! This batting practice got me all worked up!." Michonne heard rumbling from the Saviors and the revving up of motors, telling her they were setting up to leave. She glanced toward Rick and Carl, before turning her sight back on the leather-clad man. He winked at her and nodded, then headed toward the crowd of Saviors that were behind them. She glanced next to her and saw Maggie still sweating and barely holding onto a thread. Glenn was sobbing, staring at his pregnant wife and whispering, "Maggie, Maggie, baby…" Michonne her attention to other members of her adopted family. Sasha was distraught, staring at the body in front of them. Michonne knew the young woman had developed a kinship with the man the Termites had called 'the Archer'. She glanced at Rick, again; his face was pale and sweaty. He looked haggard, shaking, the weight on his shoulder heavy, suffocating him. Michonne knew how much guilt the man was feeling right now. The man she had opened her heart to, after having closed herself off to the world following the tragic loss of her child. Images of her son's limped body in the arms of her father were surfacing, but Michonne pushed them back down. She had to focus, to get her family out of this predicament. She knew they were all traumatized after the horrific event they've witnessed. One of their own was so callously murdered in front of their eyes and there was nothing they could do to stop them. Ever since leaving the prison, they've never been so powerless. Even when trapped at Terminus, they knew they would escape, building makeshift weapons and readying themselves to fight their captors. When the cannibals had caught up to them, the group had violently finished them off inside the church with Rick hacking his machete into Garreth's head. Even when facing the herd that had broken in the Safe Zone, the family had been able to handle it, not without casualties, but it wasn't as devastating as it was at this moment. Right now, no one knew what to do except sob. The Saviors had masterfully brought them down on their knees, literally and forced them to watch as their leader, Negan, brutally and swiftly executed one of them.

Michonne willed herself to get up as soon as she was assured their captors had left the premises. She ran first for her love and the boy who had practically become her son, and forced them back on their feet. "Get up!" She felt Rick's body go slack in her arms while Carl grabbed her tiny waist. Although he had held Negan's gaze without fear, he was sobbing on her shirt. It was clear the impact of Daryl's death had been too much, even for this young man who endured so much in the last two years. She consoled him, touching his hair and whispered, "It's okay, it's okay." She was trying to comfort him and calm herself at the same time. She took her hand away from his hair and grabbed the back of his father's head, caressing it and kissing his right cheek. She could feel the tears and sweat mingling on her lips. "I know…I know," she told him. Yes, she knew exactly how Rick was feeling at this moment; this man who had gone to great length to protect them along with his son was now a broken, defeated man. Negan was right, they didn't know shit. They were wholly underprepared to face such an enemy. Michonne admitted that much. The words she had told Rick early this morning resonated in her head. She had agreed with him that she was going to protect what they had, they wouldn't let anyone take it, like Philip had, back at the prison. This calmed her and prompted her into action. She knew Rick wasn't in the right frame of mind to do anything right now, so she will have to take over. She let go of her man and turned to the rest of them. They were still on their knees having not moved an inch, still too traumatized. "We gotta go," she ordered. "We need to take Maggie to the Hilltop, right now!" Rosita was the first to look at her, incredulous. "You can't be serious," said the young woman, tears streaming down her face. She turned to look at the limp body, anger taking place on her beautiful face. "We have to go after these Saviors and take revenge!"

-"And how do you suggest we do that?" interjected Sasha, pain marring her face. The young latina was staring at her, anger now more pronounced. It was obvious there was some animosity between the two, after Abe had left Rosita for Sasha. Michonne didn't have time to deal with their bullshit, her first priority was Maggie. She would be damn if she was going to let the young couple lose their baby. Ever since she had seen their sonogram, she had made a mental note to ensure that baby was going to grow in a world as safe as she could make it happen for them. "I said we have to go the Hilltop and that is what we're going to go!" She looked at Glenn, who was holding his wife and Aaron who was looking at the pregnant wife and friend with immense worry. "Aaron, you and Glenn help Maggie off her feet and bring her to the RV." She turned to Eugene whose face was bruised, probably from an attack by the Saviors. "Eugene, you and Sasha will drive us there." She turned to the redhead former military man and his former paramour, while glancing at her family, still too traumatized to register anything she was saying. "Abraham…," she paused as she looked at Daryl's body. She walked toward it and grabbed the blanket that had covered his wounded shoulder. She squatted and stared at the caved in skull from which brain matter was oozing. She winced, sadness, anger and pain surfacing throughout her body. She took the blanket and covered his head, then turned back to Abraham and Rosita and sighed, "Let's take him inside the RV. We will give him a proper funeral once we go back home." Rosita was quiet, still angry, but resigned. It seemed to work, as everyone got up and did what she ordered. She returned to Rick's side and grabbed his arm. "Baby. We need to go, we have to bring Maggie to the Hilltop so Dr. Carson can treat her." It was like something snapped in him. He stared at her face as if he was seeing it for the first time, his chest heaving, his shaky hands trying to reach for her. "Mich…Michonne…Oh god…." He closed the gap between their bodies, his forehead resting on top of hers. "Baby, I know, I know how you feel, but we need to go, now," she told him, trying to rouse him into action. She put her arm around his waist and nudged him toward the RV. She glanced toward Carl to make sure the boy was following closely. She could only see the top of his hat, a gift his dad had given him and that he cherished like one would cherish a precious gem. She could tell the boy was trying to hide his grieving face, trying to present a strong front to the world and it pained her. This world was cruel, in forcing a young boy to grow up so fast, experiencing immense tragedies that would make even a grown man falter. He was his father's son, a young warrior who will soon be asked to lead this new cruel reality. They arrived at the RV's entrance and Michonne sidestepped to allow Rick to enter the vehicle and followed Carl inside, closing the door behind her, not before glancing back at the forest where an unimaginable horror had taken place. She made a mental note, to never forget that night and that place. She was going to take her revenge on Negan and the Savior, avenge Daryl's death and ensure that her family never experienced something as horrific again.

She took her seat next to Rick, facing the seat where Maggie was laying, holding Glenn's hand with all the strength left in her weakened body. Michonne was fighting tears that were threatening to escape her eyes. She had to keep a strong front as everyone was holding on by a thread. With Rick practically out of commission, she had to be the strong one, assume her role that Deanna had bestowed upon her. She had been the one who had advocated they leave the road and join the Alexandrian community, because she had been tired of living off roadkill, encountering danger everywhere they turned and being on the edge. She had feared for the children, especially little Judith who had not known a moment of respite since she was born. This was not a life for a young child; remembering her own son, who had been a toddler when he was cruelly taken away from her, and how much he had cried when he had been uprooted from his comfortable life in Atlanta to the FEMA camp they had found refuged in. She had struggled to make him sleep or even eat, asking to go back home. She had been so busy trying to help normalize the situation for Andre, she hadn't been able to see how much Mike had changed during that time. The man she had loved, who had been such a good father up to that point, had devolved into a weak-willed creature who couldn't even lift a finger to protect his own flesh and blood. While Michonne had learned to survive, picking up the katana they had found en route to the camp, making runs to get food for their familial unit, Mike was too busy getting high with his friend Terry, neglecting their boy. She had been on a run when tragedy struck. Upon her return, she ran through bodies, hacking left and right the walkers that had overrun the camp, finally reaching her tent. She remembered how much her hand shook as she pushed open their humble home, hoping against all odds that her family had been spared. But as she told Carl, that hope faded fast as she saw her little boy's body, limp over his father's legs, bleeding on the right side of his head. She stared at Mike and Terry, disbelief marring her face. She rushed toward her baby boy and took him away from the man she had once called 'lover.' "Andre, Andre, mom is here, Andre, speak to me," she called out to him, her voice breaking. She could feel the coldness of the body against her skin, but she did not want to believe it. 'No, not her son, no, no!' She closed her eyes as she embraced him against her breast, but she could hear the whimpering Mike was doing. "I'm…Michonne…I'm…I tried…believe me…I tried, but…" She opened her eyes, rage filling them, as she stared at the man who was trying to excuse the horrible crime he had committed. "Shut up! Shut the fuck up!" Mike raised his arms, bringing his hands to his head and that is when she saw it. He had been bit, right there near the right shoulder. She glanced toward Terry and saw he had been bit too, at the neck. She took deep breathes, a thousands of thoughts were coursing inside her head as she realized the magnitude of her situation. She looked down at her son's peaceful face, as if he was only sleeping and stood up, still holding him in her arms. Mike look up, wondering what she planned to do. "Michonne, what are you going to do?" She didn't answer him; she turned around and walked out of the camp. She had looked around the camp to find a place to lay her son to rest. Near his resting place, she had found two chains and that is when the idea came to her. They were animals and she was going to treat them as is.

Her mind focused back on Rick and she realized that he was looking sickly. She got up and went to the sink, grabbing a towel and running hot water over it. "It looks like it is going to be smooth sailing to Hilltop. These motherfuckers have decided to leave us for now," said the burly redhead. Michonne walked back toward her boyfriend and press the towel on his forehead, while looking at the window. Indeed, it seemed like everything would be fine as they make their way toward the community that not too long ago didn't even know existed.

Chapter 2

They arrived at the Hilltop and unlike the welcome they received a few days ago, the doors had opened quickly, allowing them to rush Maggie to Doctor Carson. Michonne, Sasha, Rosita, Rick and Carl headed to Barrington House, following Jesus who had met them at the gates, his face full of concern. "What happened?" he had asked, but no one was willing to give him an answer. They entered the manor and headed straight to Gregory's office. Upon seeing the man's smug face, something snapped inside Michonne's head and she lunged toward the bastard landing a punch squared to his right side. "You fucking bastard! It's your fucking fault! You should have told us everything you knew about Negan!", she spat. The older man rubbed his cheek as Sasha and Rosita pulled Michonne back. "What happened?" reiterated Jesus.

"He killed Daryl," Michonne let out. The bearded man's face was crestfallen upon hearing the news. "I'm so sorry, " he finally said, glancing at each one of them, lingering on Rick's face.

-What…what happened," asked Gregory.

\- "The Saviors, they came after us, as soon as we got Craig. They came after our people, then he took Rosita, Glenn, Daryl and me, hostages, afterwards, blocked the rest of us from coming to Hilltop. They lined us up in the forest and Negan killed Daryl, bashing him with a bat he fucking calls Lucille."

-" Negan himself?! You saw him? He personally came after you?" Gregory asked, incredulous. He came up to her face, his breath smelling of booze. "Did you tell him? Did you tell him about our deal?"

Michonne stared at him with disgust. This cowardly man who had made a pass at Maggie, not too long ago, was shaking with fear as he grabbed her shoulders. She wanted to punch him again, or better yet, stabbed him like Ethan had done the previous days. "Take your hands off of me," she whistled. The man stared into her eyes, seeing the rage imprinted on her irises and took a few steps back. Jesus grabbed her shoulder trying to convey his sympathies. He turned to Rick, a look of sorrow crossing his handsome face. "Rick. I know how much Daryl meant to you, from what I saw in our first encounter. I can't imagine what you are feeling right now." Rick said nothing, just nodded, barely registering Jesus presence. Michonne went to him, caressing his arm, wanting so bad to hug him, but now was not the time. They needed to go back to Alexandria, in case Negan's men had set their sights on the Safe Zone. "We need to go," she calmly said, loud enough for them to hear. Rosita and Sasha, nodded, turning their heels and heading toward the entrance. Jesus walked with them outside, matching their steps. "I'm coming with you. I need to know about Negan and his men, and I would feel much better being with you guys right now."

-"That is what we need right now, more information. From what I gathered, while hostage, they have a sizable army." Jesus nodded, taking in the new information in silence. Sasha tapped Michonne's shoulder, making her stop in her pace. "That's it? We're just leaving without getting some help? Weapons? Supplies? Soldiers?"

-"No, we don't need that right now. We came to get Maggie some medical attention. We have no idea what is going on at home base." The young woman seemed to have accepted Michonne's answer because she did not retort. Her gaze was drawn to the man she had let out into her heart, after having suffered two immense losses so close to each other. Michonne was impressed at how she had bounced back. Sasha practically sauntered toward Abraham, hugging him tightly. The dreadlocked woman looked over at her man, who had not spoken a word since. "We're leaving," she said softly. He grabbed, putting his hand on the small of her back, pushing her onto him. She could feel his muscular chest through the fabric as her breasts came into contact. She loved this man so dearly, she would do anything for him. He was the antithesis of Mike, not afraid to go to extreme length to protect his children and the people he had taken under his care. It was the main reason why she was drawn to him. She recalled their first encounter, even though it was antagonistic, what with him plunging his hand into her bullet wound, questioning her with an accusatory look. He had followed her to Woodbury, even though she was a stranger, to save Glenn and Maggie. He had even tore a man's throat, after he and his buddies had threaten Carl, Daryl and her. He had savagely murdered Garrett after he had mutilated Bob. She had heard from the others that Rick was in a coma during the first months of the outbreak and had struggled to protect his family, not wanting to kill other humans. But when pushed, he had done the necessary to keep his family safe. She couldn't envisioned him killing his son or daughter, and justifying it with claims that it was for the best. She clenched her fist as they walked back into the RV, trying to quash the anger that was wanted to reemerge as she remembered Mike's words. He had said that in such a remorseful and resigned tone, as she was putting the collar around his neck. She could see he was changing, his skin burning up, sweating profusely. He wouldn't have long before he become one of the dead. Thinking back on that period of her life it was sheer lunacy. Having decided to cut these two men's arms and jaws, using them as shields against the walkers.

She shook her head as she reminded herself how much of a monster she had become. She looked up at the man who had saved her life, pulled her out of the darkness. She could see he was vacillating back into that dark place she had found him in while at the prison, after losing his wife. She had recognized the struggle he was going through, seeing dead ones like they were still there, within reach. She kissed him, trying to reassure him. She knew what he must have felt when he saw her being pulled out of the van by her captors, even though he didn't let it show. It was a smart move in hindsight; had Negan picked up on their relationship, god knows what would have happened. She looked at Jesus, sharing a knowing look, giving a quick smile and returning her attention to her love. They didn't say anything on the drive back home; there was nothing much to say. They were still shell shocked by the events that had transpired last night and the incertitude surrounding Maggie's health. They finally arrived at the gate as the RV made a full stop. "Oh mothershit!" she heard Abraham yelled. She took a peak out of the window to see what had made him curse. Part of the gate had been destroyed, with clear signs of a battle having been fought. Her heart quickened as fears threatened to engulf her. Her first thoughts went to Judith, who had been left into Father Gabriel's care. "Oh God," she heard a panicked Rick muttered. He repeated these words like a mantra, his face turning pale once more. She quickly grabbed his face, trying so hard to calm her own fears. "Baby, baby, look at me, come on, look at me." He did as she ordered, tears forming into his eyes as he gazed into her warm, brown eyes. "Michonne," he said with his Southern twang she had grown to love. "Everything is okay, baby, you got to believe that." It was much for herself as for him. She needed to keep intact, not let him drift into that darkness that had been his constant companion. She had pushed him to come here because she wanted him to rest, to give his children a chance at a life. She was not going to let Negan or his people to take that away from them. They heard a knock on the side of the RV and all of them looked to see Spencer staring back. "Hey, you guys are back! We were worried that something bad happened to you all!" Rosita opened the door and stood right in front of the tall man, her arms crossed. "Something did happen," she said, with a hint of rancor, as if she blamed the younger man.

-"What happened?" Michonne asked.

\- "We were attacked, but held them off," he informed her.

\- "Everyone okay," she inquired, holding her breath. He nodded and smile, providing her with reassurance. "Everyone pulled through, under Gabriel's lead. We even got you guys a gift."

She looked at him, befuddled, at the mention of a gift. 'What could it be', she pondered. She glanced back at Rick and Carl who were behind her and grabbed Rick's calloused hand to get him to follow her. They needed to see the damages Alexandria had incurred and find out what gift Spencer was referring to.

Chapter 3

They were at home, in their bedroom, Rick's bedroom, which they now shared. Carl had retreated in his room, without speaking a word to either of them. Judith was with the neighbors; Michonne had agreed to let her stay there, as they regain their composure. They were in no state to deal with the toddler. Before heading to their home, they had stopped at the armory where Spencer and Gabriel had stashed one of the Saviors that had attacked the ASZ. Spencer seemed please with himself, as if he had caught a prized deer. The man was hogged tied on the chair, his mouth bound, glaring at them as if he was ready to pounce once the binding were loosened. Michonne stared at him coldly as she listened to Gabriel telling them how they had fought back the assault and capture this man. She had told the priest they would talk later, that they were still frazzled by the event they had experienced. Father Gabriel had agreed to hold a service for Daryl and had tried to comfort Rick as much as he could. With Jesus in tow, they went home. She offered her room downstairs to the skilled fighter, while they headed upstairs. Rick sat on the bed, putting his head between legs, sobbing. She stood right in front of him, grabbing the curls covering his neck and caressing him gently. He grabbed her by the knees bringing her closer. He lifted his head, his eyes were red and his face marred with grief. "It's my fault, all of this…. it's my fault." She cupped his face as she kneeled in front of him, bringing her face to his. She kissed him gently on the lips, hoping this would calm him. He responded in kind, putting his left hand onto her cheek, pushing her hair back. He pulled his face away and stared at her with worry as he continue to touch her hair. "Your hair…I found a walker who had your hair glued on its head." Michonne winced as she recalled how that Savior had cut two her dreads and taken her vest. She had wondered what had been the purpose for it. 'So it was part of their plan to psychologically fuck with her man'. She made a mental note on the already long list of things she would have Negan pay back when they go against him. Right now, she was solely focused on Rick and his well-being. "Did they hurt you?" His voice was broken off as he asked. She shook her head and smiled. He sighed, relieved. She took his coat off, kissing his neck. She was doing this more for comfort than sex, but it had the desired effect of Rick relaxing, his hands going back to her face, drawing it near his. He kissed her, timidly at first, but then deepening the embrace. His tongue darted past her lips forcing them open. He explored the mouth he had become quite familiar with in the past few days as they had finally taken the steps to become more than friends. She was out of breath when she felt his hand on her back, unfastening her bra, freeing her breasts. Her nipples were erect, begging for attention, which he obliged readily. He grabbed one of them into his mouth, biting and licking it, driving her wild with lust. She could feel her sex getting hot and wet, jumping with excitement; she needed him now, inside her. As if he could read her mind, Rick made quick work of her clothes and laid her down the bed. He lifted her legs, putting each one of them on his shoulders. He kissed her right thigh, avoiding her sex, hovering to the left one, kissing it as well. Then, he finally returned to her glistening pussy, lowering his mouth, licking her folds between finally entering her with his tongue. She jolted as she felt it explore her core. Rick was insatiable when it came to eating her out as if it was his last supper. She hadn't realized how much she liked feeling wanted and revered the way Rick had. Even though Mike was a great lover, she sometime felt wanting, rarely satiated. She wondered if she would have stayed with him if it weren't for Andre. She pushed those thoughts away turning back her focus on her current lover. He was bringing her to the brink of another mindblowing orgasm, the kind that made you see stars. After she came, she felt him moving up, his face inching near hers. She grabbed the back of his head, bringing his lips crashing against hers, tasting her juices on his mouth and tongue. That made her wet again and ready for more. Again, as if he read her mind, he unbuttoned his pants, slightly raising himself off her, pushing the denim down enough to allow him to take out his cock. In one thrust, he entered her and set the rhythm of their lovemaking. She moaned as she felt him getting deeper inside of her and realize she wanted more. Smiling at him, she wrapped her legs around his hips and flipped him onto the bed. Rick was surprised at how strong she was, although it was to be expected. She was after all his right hand woman, his second in command. A very capable woman who had survived against all odds on her own. She straddled him, setting the pace now, riding his cock inside of her. She felt his hands on her waist and his hot mouth on her tits. His hands travelled down her ass, cupping following her movements. She liked having his hands on her best asset; she knew he always had a fixation for it, checking her out whenever he could. She was close again, her breath quickening, as she felt the growing wave of pleasure crescendo inside of her. It was overwhelming, nearly bringing her to tears. 'This is what it feels like to make love to a man you truly love', she thought. And she was utterly in love with Rick Grimes, it had dawned on her while she had been held captive by the Saviors.

The next day, she woke up and quietly got out of bed, and heading downstairs to her former bedroom. To her surprise, Jesus was already awake and seemingly waiting for her. "So, how do you want to do this?" he asked. She glanced at the ceiling as if she could see through the plaster into Rick's room…no, their room. "We need to do this quietly. I don't want him to know until it's the right time." Jesus nodded, clearly understanding why it had to be done that way. "I will get Rick to let the hostage go and you will follow him to Negan's main compound. We need to get as much information as possible."

"Duly noted," the bearded fighter had responded.

And like Michonne had promised, Rick had freed the hostage, much to everyone's consternation and anger, especially coming from Rosita and Tara, who had come back from her two-weeks run upon the news that her girlfriend had been killed by that Dwight guy who captured them yesterday. She had wanted to comfort the young woman, but she had to keep the ruse and defend her man from criticism. "You weren't there Tara, you didn't see how Negan and his men had us on our knees," she said, her eyes darting toward Rosita who was fuming. "I told you we should go after them, when they least expecting it." Michonne tilted her head to the right, a habit she had picked up from Rick. "And where do you want us to go? We don't know anything about where Negan calls home…"

\- "So we should just sit back until they come here and rob us blind? We barely have enough for everyone here and now we have to give him half?" the fiery woman said.

\- "She got a point," Eugene interjected, much to Michonne's surprise.

The rest of the meeting had basically been a shouting match between those who wanted to avenge Daryl's death and those who were too afraid of the Saviors, wanting nothing to do with them. Michonne had kept her focus on Rick who had taken everything he had inside of him to maintain the façade of a leader, even though all he wanted to do is stay home and look over his children. He left the chapel in a hurry, not wanting to talk the inhabitants of the ASZ anymore, needing sometime to himself. Knowing that, Michonne stayed behind and followed Spencer back to the armory to set the hostage free. The man grinned, staring at her as he rubbed his wrist. "I knew you fucks didn't have the cajones to keep me that long." As he reached for the door, he bumped into her, licking his lips in a lewd manner. He walked out of the ASZ, and then walked off, not even glancing at the bodies of his fallen companions strewn near the gate. Michonne glanced at Jesus who was watching the man walk away, then she turned her heels in direction to her home. Unfortunately, she was stopped by Tara, who grabbed her hand, teary-eyed. "Are you guys really not going to do anything?" Michonne gave her a sympathetic look and started to say her name, but the other woman shook her head, not wanting to hear any platitudes coming out of her mouth. She watched as Tara walked toward the home she had recently shared with Denise. She took a deep breath, knowing the pain Tara must be feeling. She walked to her home, wanting to be in Rick's arms at this moment. She climbed the stairs and went straight to their bedroom, where she found Rick taking some clothes out of the drawers. "What are you doing?" she asked, baffled.

"You should stay in this room I'll go crash in Judith's room for awhile."

"Why?", not quite grasping what Rick was doing.

"I think we should take some time away from each other," he flatly said. She walked toward him, grabbing the shirt out of his hand. "No way! You are not pushing me away, Rick!" She was furious, her jaw tightening as she stared at the man she loved, who had made an unilateral decision to basically break things off. There was no fucking way she was going to let that happened. She grabbed his arms and walked him toward the bed. She forced him to sit at the edge and stood in front of him, her hands turned into fists. "Look Rick, I understand that you feel like shit right now, that you think this is your fault that Daryl died, and that pushing me away is the right thing to do, but you are wrong!" He looked up at her, fear mixed with sadness and guilt all over his face. "Do you have no idea how I felt when I saw that Walker wearing your vest and your hair? I thought I had lost you! I barely could hold it together for Maggie that day." He was crying, which made her feel like shit. "I love you so much," he admitted, putting his head on her stomach while grabbing her knees. "I love you too," she responded, running her fingers through the curls she loved. "That's why, I can't let you do this!" she continued. She cupped his face and lifted it so their eyes could meet. "I…I already watched one man I love fall apart, I am not willing to watch another do the same, you hear me?" She could see Rick frowning, clearly wondering what she was talking about. Tears were now filling her eyes as she readied herself to talk about the most painful moment in her life to the man she had given her heart fully. "Do you remember when Merle told you about Andrea and I, and the pet walkers I had in chains?" His face told her that he remembered. "One of them, was my dead boyfriend, Mike." Consternation had now taken place upon his beautiful face. "I had cut out his arms and his jaw, after he had turned. The reason why I did that, was to punish myself for having ignored the signs glaring at me all this time. I did not want to see how he had lost his way, how weak he had become. Mike, he was a good father, before the turn. Our son, Andre…." she stopped talking as she saw Rick's face taking in the news that she had once been a mother. "You…you had a son?" he let out. She nodded, tears falling down her cheeks. "He was a beautiful boy, so full of energy, smart. You would have loved him." He put his hands on top of hers pulling them away from his face, and kissing them. This gesture almost did her in, but she fought back wanting to tell him what had happened. "We were at a refugee camp, in Atlanta. I went out on a run because I was one of the best fighter there. I left Andre with his father, thinking he would take care of him in my absence, but I was wrong, so, so wrong." She paused as Rick wiped the tears off her cheek. She willed herself to finish her story, to let him know how her world had crumbled. "When I came back, the camp…it was overrun, dead bodies everywhere. I panicked, rush through a group of stragglers, slicing my way to the tent. When I arrived, I could hear sobbing and I knew something bad had happened, but still, I went inside, hoping…And then…I saw him, looking so peaceful, his eyes closed, laying on his father's lap. Mike, he was crying, while Terry looked at me with guilt and pain in his eyes. He had been bitten, right on the neck. And that is when I felt a sense of dread taking over me." Her hand was shaking as she brought it on the right side of her head. "I saw the gun on the floor and then Mike started speaking, giving me excuses, saying that it was for the best, he would not suffer in this cruel world anymore. Who…who are you to decide that? As I approached him to take my baby away, I saw that Mike had been bitten too and that is when everything went black in my head. Next thing I knew, I buried my son, grabbed two chains, cut off Mike and Terry's arms and jaws, and then we left the camp." She looked at Rick, expecting horror in his eyes but instead found sympathy, sadness and love. She wept like she hadn't allowed to do so back at the camp. "I'm sorry Michonne, I really am. I had no idea of the pain you had to carry. I was such a jerk to you back then…"

-" You weren't" she interrupted him. "You had a family to protect! You had every right to be suspicious of me. That is what drew me to you in the first place. You…you did everything to protect your family."

\- "Yeahhh…but look at what the good that all did. Daryl is dead because of me…" She pressed her hand on his mouth. "Stop it! You weren't responsible for it we knew what we were getting into when we agreed to take care of Negan. We made mistakes, we should have been better prepared, but all this! It isn't your fault you hear me?"

-"But…"

\- "No 'buts'. We suffered a serious setback, but you need to snap out of it Rick, Daryl wouldn't want you to feel defeated, he would want you to avenge his death."

-"But how? You saw how big Negan's organization is. There is no way we can defeat him."

\- "Yeah, there is a way and we will find it, but right now, I need you to be in the right frame of mind. I promised myself, after Mike, I would never let someone I love fall apart. Never again. I love you too much for this."

Rick's face softened as he cupped her face. "I love you too and I want to keep you safe. Carl and Judith too."

-"And you will, I know you will," she said smiling, sensing the man she had opened her heart to, after the pain she had experienced a year ago, was coming back to her. 'Yeah, never again."

End.


End file.
